Outline Stamped Colored Letters.

[B shift]

Can anyone tell me how they get those perfect white (or any color) outlines on stamped letters or numbers? I'm looking at making an FD radio strap and I really like the ones where the name is outlined in white and the letters are red (on a black strap) can anyone give me advice on this?

[TomG]

Wow. Almost 24 hours and no responses???

I'm sure there are may ways to do this. I've done it 2 ways. First, I use Leather Balm with Atom wax on the leather. 2 coats buffed between coats and dried..

First method is to use a thin brush and acrylic white paint to fill the outlines. I keep a damp rag in my hand and if I hav an "oops", I quickly wipe it off. You can get away with a couple of oops in the same spot before you possibly blemish the finish a bit. I can usually get it in 1 coat with this..

The new way I've gone to is to use a white Sharpie. I use the Extra Fine Point, Oil-Based Paint model. It fits the outline almost perfectly. I usually have to do at least 2 coats as the leather seems to absorb it more then the acrylic paint.

You will want to practice both methods. The pen has a spring-loaded tip to release the ink and you can push too much and flood the letter grooves. The couple of times it happened to me, I was lucky and it stayed in the grooves. I was able to spread it out to the rest of the outline. But it could have easily overflowed and I don't the damp rag would have fixed it. Just go slow and careful.

[B shift]

Thanks for the reply, I'm gonna give the first method a shot because I want to dye the whole thing black first. Thanks for the help!

[TomG]

You always dye first with either method. I dye, buff, balm/wax, burnish edges, paint, outline then resolene.

You always dye first with either method. I dye, buff, balm/wax, burnish edges, paint, outline then resolene.

[coreysyms]

I agree with TomG. Using a oil pen or archival ink pen is the way to go. I "gold stamp" lettering a lot and my technique is to take a q-tip, dob it in kiwi mink oil, the Vaseline looking stuff not the liquid oil, and go around the edges of my stamped lettering to act as a "resist" of sorts. I drop in the pen and any overflow I can quickly wipe away in the mink oil. One letter at a time and its always the last thing I do. Then I hit the whole piece with a thin layer of acrylic finish and call it a day. I think my method works with simple lettering, have not tried truly fine edges and detail.

Edited February 13, 2015 by coreysyms

[TomG]

I love the results of using Mink Oil Paste on the back of my collars, leashes and bracelets. Makes them extremely soft and pliable. But I have been "chastised" for using that instead of NFO. I prefer the Kiwi CampDry over the Fiebings. It seems to work better.

I'll try the resist method and see how it works.

Thanks for the tip.

[coreysyms]

Yeah, I hear you TomG, I like to do the same, coat on the mink oil, let it soak up overnight and buff off, gives my straps a nice "bendy" quality. My process is to dye, then hit the flesh side with neatsfoot oil compound, the dyed side with carnauba cream, acrylic finish for water protection, then mink oil for suppleness and waxy protection.